Not being able to sleep well can have many negative effects, as anyone who suffers from sleep apnea knows. Thankfully, you can utilize some methods in gaining control over your sleep apnea and getting the high-quality sleep you need and deserve. This article will help you get started.
Do you smoke or drink alcoholic beverages? Take steps to eliminate these unhealthy habits. Smoking irritates your air passages, making them narrow. Alcohol relaxes your airways, and tobacco causes it to swell. If you cannot get rid of these habits for good, make an effort to avoid smoking or drinking before you go to bed.
Sleep Apnea
If you want to find relief from sleep apnea, pick up a wind instrument. Regular playing of the didgeridoo has been found by German scientists to strengthen the muscles of the upper airway. These muscles are the key to dilation of the air passage and proper breathing as we sleep. For this reason, playing regularly helps you get a good night of rest by limiting the symptoms of sleep apnea and snoring.
Lose some weight if you’re heavy. There is evidence that sleep apnea is correlated with obesity. If you slim down, you may see a marked difference in how your sleep apnea affects you.
Get a mouth guard made specifically for you. These guards are designed for patients with sleep apnea. It provides a more comfortable option to using a CPAP machine. The mouth guard can help by keeping your airway unobstructed.
Some people believe that you can strengthen you upper airway muscles by playing a musical instrument belonging to the woodwind family. Researchers in Germany have suggested that the didgeriddo can improve upper airway muscles. This muscle group manages airway dilation and stiffening. This is why if you play often you will have less sleep apnea issues.
If you have a prescription for sleep apnea and you are prescribed a CPAP, you should at least use it four hours every night. Although it can be difficult to become accustomed to wearing a CPAP, it is an important tool in improving sleep apnea. Use your CPAP as often as prescribed by your doctor, and make sure it fits properly. As you become more accustomed to the sleep mask, you should be able to wear it longer.
Do not consume as much alcohol as you used to. Alcohol has a relaxing effect on all your muscles. Although many people desire this side-effect of alcohol, it is not beneficial to people with sleep apnea. If you are sleeping and have been drinking too close to bedtime, this can be a dangerous combination while you are asleep. If you can’t give up drinking completely, at least make an effort to moderate your intake and avoid having alcohol in the hours leading up to your bedtime.
Try sleeping on your side. A lot of people who suffer from sleep apnea are back sleepers. If you sleep on your back, your airway may become blocked when mouth tissues slide back. Breathing is much simpler when you sleep on one of your sides. To prevent rolling over onto your back while you sleep, build a wall of pillows behind yourself.
Don’t take sleeping pills if you can avoid it. Sleeping pills can cause just as many problems with your throat as alcohol consumption. There are a variety of other problems that they can cause as well, so be cautious of using them. See if your doctor knows of any sleeping medication that doesn’t cause respiratory depression.
If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, avoid sleeping pills. Sleeping pills can make your throat relax which prevents your airways from functioning properly. If your sleep apnea is bad, these pills are even more dangerous. They may be tempting to use but you’ll be better off staying away from sleeping pills.
Sleep on your side. If you sleep on your back, this can make your sleep apnea worse. If you sleep on your back, you are more likely to have your mouth open and block your airways. Try to sleep on your side to avoid that. If you usually sleep on your back, make a conscious effort to change your ways.
If when using a CPAP machine your mouth still falls open, use a chin strap. A chin strap is a fabric strip that prevents your chin from falling during the night, which in turn keeps your mouth closed. Use this device to solve this annoying problem, as leaving it unfixed will make your CPAP therapy ineffective.
If you are lacking someone to sleep next to you it might be hard to tell if you suffer from sleep apnea. To gather evidence a physician can evaluate, record yourself sleeping through the night. Your video needs to have audio as well because the doctors will want to hear any noises you make.
You may benefit from wearing a medical bracelet that explains your sleep apnea, the treatment your are undergoing for the condition and the proper pressure level for your CPAP. If you need attention from paramedics or have to go to a hospital, your caregivers need to know that you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea and require a CPAP. This identification card should tell caregivers that you suffer from sleep apnea, and that you make use of a CPAP set to a specified pressure level to sleep.
Bring your CPAP along with you if you’re going to the hospital. Whether the stay is for a planned surgery or sudden emergency, make sure you have access to your CPAP for the duration of your stay. It is already set to your pressure, and you will have the exact mask you are used to using every night. This will simplify your CPAP therapy during your stay at the hospital.
If you are not getting relief from your sleep apnea treatment methods, consult your physician for more serious options. Some people have poor luck with typical sleep apnea treatments, and resort to a surgical treatment that entails the removal of the adenoids and tonsils, or the enlargement of the airway.
Of course, for a solid diagnosis of sleep apnea, you must see a doctor. Nonetheless, healthy, self-help techniques may help and won’t hurt. If you lose weight and stop smoking, these are good decisions, especially if sleep apnea is a problem for you. It is also important to avoid consuming alcohol, caffeine and heavy meals at least two hours prior to going to sleep.
Try using devices that help with snoring. Snoring is when you have your airways come to a partial close while air is coming through, while apnea is actually when your airways are closed all the way. A device that can eliminate snoring can also relieve sleep apnea. Anti-snoring devices can help to reduce your sleep apnea symptoms as you rest.
Speak with your doctor about writing you a prescription for a heated humidifier if you have a CPAP machine to sleep. If your CPAP air is moist and humid, you will breathe and sleep easier. Humidifiers are built into a lot of CPAP machines. Ask your doctor about prescribing you one.
Although you should visit your doctor to become diagnosed, you can still figure out if you have sleep apnea on your own. Dropping weight or dropping cigarettes are good ideas; more so for victims of sleep apnea. It’s also a good idea to refrain from eating heavy meals and drinking alcoholic or caffeinated beverages close to bed-time.
Life is tough enough already. Living life half awake due to low-quality sleep is not something you can live with for long! This article has provided valuable advice. Hopefully, you can implement that advice and finally get the good night’s sleep you deserve.
A great method of reducing your sleep apnea symptoms is strengthening your throat muscles. When you sleep, your airway relaxes and collapses and you cannot get enough air through. As your muscles strengthen, their possibility of collapsing and blocking your airways is lowered.